EU considers lifting some sanctions against Russia

About 40 Russians have sought to be removed from the sanctions list, including 30 who have gone to court and 10 who have worked directly with EU authorities. Some of these individuals may have succeeded in their efforts, as EU lawmakers have acknowledged that some of the restrictions were imposed on weak legal grounds.

Illustration: Bloomberg

The Council of Europe’s legal body told EU ambassadors on 14 July that some of the requests filed by sanctioned Russian nationals were likely well-founded, but there was also evidence that the restrictive measures against these individuals were either too weak or too outdated and no longer appropriate.

However, the Russians who may have their sanctions lifted are only a fraction of those targeted by the EU in recent months. Since the outbreak of the war between Russia and Ukraine, the alliance has targeted hundreds of senior Russian figures, including top officials, business leaders and their families, for alleged involvement in the ongoing conflict.